Charles Mmasi is a partner in our Dar es Salaam office.

Charles joined Bowmans in May 2019 and advises on a broad range of transactional and regulatory matters across the mining, energy, infrastructure, telecommunications and agricultural sectors. He regularly works with major regional and international corporations, international banks and DFIs providing advice on banking and finance, corporate and M&A matters with specialization in cross-boarder and emerging markets work.

Charles was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania in July 2015 after completing his Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Law School of Tanzania, having previously obtained a Masters in Commercial and Corporate Law (LLM) from the University of Dar es Salaam in 2013, an LLB (hons) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in 2012 and a B.A in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of South Africa in 2012. Charles is a member of the Tanganyika Law Society and the East Africa Law Society.

Prior to joining Bowmans Charles trained and worked for over four years in the Dar es Salaam offices of a leading international law firm. During this time, he spent 6 months with their Johannesburg banking & finance team advising both lenders and developers on project finance, syndicated lending and structured trade and commodity finance. Charles was also seconded for over a year to the Dar es Salaam offices of Shell Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc) working as in-house legal counsel and as a key member advising on the USD 30 billion Tanzania LNG Project.

He is fluent in English and Swahili.

Relevant Experience

Highlights of Charles’ recent M&A and equity capital markets experience include advising:

• a major international insurance company in relation to an acquisition of a regional insurance company with operations in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; *
• a leading international company on the acquisition of a local bank; *
• an international communications company in respect of an acquisition of two Tanzanian media companies; *
• a leading innovative telecommunication company in Tanzania on their listing; and *
• Onomo Hotels, an international hospitality group, on its acquisition of Express Hotel Limited, owner and operator of the Ramada Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Highlights of Charles’ recent finance experience includes advising:

• ZPC (the state electricity generating company of Zimbabwe) in connection with the high profile 670MW Hwange Thermal Power Expansion PPP Project and associated transmission system upgrade in Zimbabwe. The project size is in excess of USD 2 billion and involved sovereign loans from China Eximbank to the Government of Zimbabwe and a joint venture with SinohydroProviding advice on project financing, banking, corporate, investments, M&A and employment matters to regional and international corporations, international banks and DFIs; *
• Absa Bank Limited on handling of the USD 685 million promissory notes issued by The Republic of Ghana to Euroget de Invest S.A. in relation to the construction of military and civilian hospitals in Ghana; *
• The Development Bank of Southern Africa Limited in relation to a USD 100 million development finance to Zesco Limited in connection with the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Power Plant in Zambia;
• Strandline Resources Limited on the financing and development of the Fungoni mineral sands project in Tanzania;
• KfW IPEX Bank on the provision of funding to Kibaran Resources Limited for the development of the Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania;
• Onomo Hotels, an international hospitality group, in relation to a USD 10 million term loan from EXIM Bank Tanzania Limited for the acquisition of Express Hotel Limited, owner and operator of the Ramada Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;
• FirstRand Bank Limited (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) in respect of a capital restructure and refinancing in favour of the AfriSam Group; and
• Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, Israel and BNOP Agriculture Services Limited in respect of handling of EUR 2,700,000 Promissory Notes issued by Lake Oil Limited.

Highlights of Charles’ recent regulatory experience includes advising:

• Shell Exploration and Production Tanzania limited on various legal aspects of the USD 30 billion LNG Project and the decommissioning of oil & gas platforms including land acquisition, resettlement and livelihoods restoration, environmental impacts, project local content requirements and negotiating terms for the host government agreement. *
• an international energy company in respect of the development of thermal IPP in Tanzania; *
• one of the leading mobile network operators in Tanzania in relation to corporate, licensing, competition and disputes matters;
• Google on a range of regulatory issues in Tanzania; and
• IFC on the entire spectrum of Zanzibar laws that would affect an independent power project (IPP) to generate solar power on-grid electricity, with storage, in Zanzibar, to identify constraints for private-public partnerships (PPPs) and other private sector participation in IPPs.

* experience gained prior to joining Bowmans